Read time: about 2 minutes.  Published 2025-10-01

In 2013, we took our very first vacation to an all-inclusive resort — the Sandals Carlyle in Jamaica. At the time, it was the smallest and most affordable Sandals property, which meant we could splurge on a butler suite without breaking the bank. An added perk was the free shuttle to nearby Sandals Montego Bay, giving us access to all the amenities of that larger resort.

The butler service was a mixed bag. Back then, it wasn’t as polished as it is today. We were given a complimentary cell phone to contact our butlers, but it wasn’t programmed with the correct numbers at first. Once that was sorted out, we learned we’d have two butlers, each covering different parts of the day.

Kaneesha, the first butler we connected with via the front desk, seemed reluctant to assist. She wouldn’t put her number into the phone and instead told us to call the other butler and ask for her if we needed anything — which didn’t make much sense. If we already had the other butler on the line, why ask for her? Requests like dinner reservations were met with a polite but unconvincing “I’ll take care of that,” which unfortunately often meant they weren’t handled at all.

Thankfully, our second butler, Anthony, was outstanding. Friendly, attentive, and eager to please, he delivered anything we asked for. Lobster for lunch? Done. Jamaican brown stew chicken? Done. More Red Stripe for the fridge? Absolutely. More rum for the bar? Of course! Thanks to Anthony, our butler experience — and possibly our entire stay — was saved. Without him, we might have regretted booking a butler suite or even questioned staying at Sandals again.

The experience taught us an important lesson: not everyone performs their role well, but if the resort isn’t made aware, they can’t fix the problem. Sandals strives to ensure every guest has an amazing stay, including great interactions with staff. If something isn’t meeting expectations, it’s worth speaking up — not everyone will be lucky enough to have an “Anthony” step in and make it right.

In the end, this trip remains one of our most memorable vacations. The people, the food, the activities — it was all beautiful. An all-inclusive getaway like this is something everyone should experience at least once!